Mudflat hiking…

4:20 the alarm went on. “Where am I and why do I have to wake up in the middle of the night?” this was my first thought. This was a beginning of our small adventure that started in the small cozy hotel in Dokkum. With the group of 14 people, we decided to check what this big deal is about mudflat walking (Wadlopen). After shower, quick breakfast and the 15 min ride we were standing at 6 o’clock, in the cold, waiting to make our first steps in the black, dirty, smelly mud of the Wadden Sea.

The start was at Holwerd ferry, destination, Ameland Island, distance, more than 10km, time planed, 3hours. As members of 60 people group, guided by the 4 guides, we walked first 3 km in the mud up to our ankles. Strange feeling when you don’t see the color of your shoes. Later, when the sun starts to shine, we were reaching the water first to our ankles, then the knees and eventually to almost our waist. Luckily, it was few channels only, mostly we walked in the shallow sea and various sand-flats, ending the last kilometer with the island view in front of us. We reached the Ameland far before the tide. Everyone was quite exhausted and some of us took a power nap on the ferry taking us back to parking spot at Holwerd.

Despite the muscle pain and sore feet I can definitely check this one as a great fun worth repeating in the future. If we want there are many mud routes to choose from.

7-0 and the rest is the history...

NIKE FOOTBALL WRITE THE FUTURE...

The training continues…

After disappointing Ladies Run where I got 1:00:15 (my goal was under one hour, I know 15 sec. but still, come on...) I decide to train a bit harder to get the better results next time. I have not chosen the next event yet but definitely must be UNDER ONE HOUR! Anyway, the event was great and we had quite some fun. Pink was visible everywhere. Some of the girls did quite a lot of efforts to look original. Definitely worthed repeating next year!
Some photos from the http://www.ladiesrun.nl/





And the full determination...

Getting better …

Ta ta ta tara ra ra … I am happy. I have participated in the Sdu The Hague Royal Ten again. This time my goal was to run under one hour and here we go 58:56. The weather was good for run, not to warm, not to cold and the rain stopped just for hour. The first kilometer I was fighting with my iPod. I have prepared exact 1 hour play list with the Tiesto’s “Escape me” as the last song… It started with the last 300m but because I was messing up at the beginning I didn’t know exactly if it was enough … but it was! I am always amazed about the number of participants and their age. There was even a man with a dog. I wish I could do such a competition with Fuyo, maybe one day, now I would be torn apart when she would see a cat, a rabbit or something else moving in a different direction ;). It was a bit a shame that A. had to work maybe my result would be even better.
Over two weeks the Ladies Run in Rotterdam, the run against the cancer. I will be aiming for better time, of course!

Ups and downs…

I was running, I was running quite often but then the winter came. Cold, wet, snowy, icy weather and darkness … so I stopped just like this … the warm home, the couch and the remote control won the battle over the evenings after work. Unfortunately, it does not help, sitting and moving nothing but your fingers. The energy left me so I decided, enough is enough and signed for a free introduction lesson at the fitness close by. I was planning this for a long time. Every time when I was driving A12 home, the blue letters of the logo were blinking at inviting me to try.
Since that day (last Sunday) I am a proud member of the fitness Westvliet in the Hague.. Good place to do all kind of group sports, racket sports and fitness. Spinning, Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Xco, Body mind, Body pump, squash, tennis, badminton … I will not get bored, I hope ;).
Everything is pretty Hi-tech, I got the special key (key to my success) with the training program on in. I just need to insert it in every machine I will use and the screen will tell me welcome Iza, you have to do 2x 10 abdomen exercise, use 15 KG and the next exercise will be biceps on the machine number 16. How easy can it get… now I just need to sweat and that’s it…piece of cake… or maybe no cake for me, thank you.

Hoge Veluwe loop -10K

Mid October I have not expected the weather to be good but at least no rain or small drizzle. What we got on the way and in the Hoge Veluwe Park when the run took place, was wall of rain (A. and F went with me). Taught by the experience of last year and my previous 10K run, I left on time (thanks to A.) and took enough food and drink.
It was raining when we left home, raining on the way but dry when we got there. Just before the run started … man oh man … I was already wet up to my underwear. Poor A. and F I felt really bad …

The run started in the heavy rain and the rain last for 2 km (so app. 10 min). I had sticky hair, raining jacket glued in to my skin and swimming pool in my shoes but… the air and the surrounding … super cool. The firs 6 km in the forest, the last 4 between the fields and trees … I was feeling pretty good taking in to consideration that Friday and Saturday was taking “paracetamol” to decrease my fever. I know, I know, it was not that smart at all to go, but I wanted desperately to do it.

The time was not below 1h as my goal few months ago was but still better than I thought. 1:02:53 ... I hope that next time will be better. Waiting still for the photos ...

The football has begun…

What to say, what to say…the most important results:
=> Poland –Germany 0-2
=> Netherlands- Italy 3-0
=> Thousand of minutes about football on TV
=> 2 SMSs from my mum with the congratulations
=> 25th place within the group of 30 gambling colleagues
=> 2 beers and the headache

and this is just the beginning….